Do peripheral venous pressures reflect femoral in liver transplant?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A prospective cohort study assessing the use of peripheral saphenous venous pressure monitoring as a marker of transhepatic venous pressure gradient in liver transplantation surgery.
IRAS ID
229582
Contact name
Jeremy Fabes
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 12 months, 0 days
Research summary
During liver transplant the blood that normally flows from the gut through the liver is rerouted so that it can return to the heart while the liver is removed and replaced. It is important during surgery that the anaesthetist is able to measure how well blood is returning to the heart in order to maintain the patient's blood pressure. If there are problems with the blood return then the surgeon must be informed to correct the issue.
Usually large cannulae (drips) are placed in the blood vessels of the groin and the neck to compare the blood pressure in the veins below the liver to that above the liver. One of the potential complications of inserting a large cannula in the groin is the risk of severe bleeding that can be hard to stop. This is a significant risk in patients with liver disease having a liver transplant who usually have problems with their blood clotting.
The aim of this study is to find out whether the insertion of a smaller cannula in the foot of a patient having a liver transplant can provide the same information as the larger cannula in the groin. These have much lower rates of complication and the bleeding caused is easy to stop if it does occur. If this study shows that the cannula in the foot is as effective then we will be able to stop inserting cannulae into the groin and so reduce the risk of bleeding in patients having a liver transplant.
REC name
South West - Cornwall & Plymouth Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/SW/0294
Date of REC Opinion
15 Dec 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion